System and method for detecting and correcting defective pixels in a digital image sensor

A method for detecting a defective pixel in an array of pixels comprising a current pixel in a first color plane that is configured to produce a current sensor value, a first plurality of pixels in a second color plane that is configured to produce a first plurality of sensor values, and a second plurality of pixels in the first color plane that is configured to produce a second plurality of sensor values, the method comprising:

• generating a plurality of estimate values using the first plurality of sensor values and a plurality of intensity ratios associated with the second plurality of sensor values;
• and
• determining whether the current pixel is defective using the plurality of estimate values and the current sensor value;
• wherein the first plurality of pixels in the first color plane are disposed at locations of the array that are different from pixel locations of the second color plane.

A system comprising:

• a digital image system having an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the array of pixels comprising a current pixel in a first color plane that is configured to produce a current sensor value associated with an image, a first plurality of pixels in the first color plane that is configured to produce a first plurality of sensor values associated with the image, and a second plurality of pixels in a second color plane that is configured to produce a second plurality of sensor values associated with the image, the digital image system configured to compute a plurality of estimate values using the first plurality of sensor values and a plurality of intensity ratios associated with the second color plane, and the digital image system configured to determine whether the current pixel is defective using the plurality of estimate values and the current sensor value;
• and
• a processing system configured to receive the image from the digital image system;
• wherein the first plurality of pixels in the first color plane are disposed at locations of the array that are different from pixel locations of the second color plane.